Managing linear multimedia content delivery

ABSTRACT

Users are assigned to virtual groups. Virtual groups are associated with server assets. Achieving load-balancing during the delivery of linear multimedia content, for example, may be achieved through reassigning users to different virtual groups. Server assets can include server clusters that are assigned to the virtual groups. New hardware can be added to server assets without having to directly associate users to the new hardware.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to managing the delivery of multimediacontent and, more particularly, to load-balancing server assets thatprovide linear multimedia content.

2. Description of the Related Art

Multimedia content distribution networks (MCDNs) provide linearmultimedia content to users. When delivering the linear multimediacontent to a user or group of users, an administrator may use hardwareswitches to select which server assets will deliver the content.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of selected elements of an embodiment of anMCDN;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of selected elements of an embodiment of anMCDN;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of selected elements of an embodiment of anMCDN;

FIG. 4 is an embodiment of a method for managing multimedia contentdelivery; and

FIG. 5 is an embodiment of a method for managing multimedia contentdelivery.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

In one aspect, a disclosed method relates to providing multimediaprograms and includes grouping server assets into virtual groups,monitoring loading of the grouped server assets, and assigning a clientdevice to one of the virtual groups based on a load parameter for thegrouped server assets for the virtual group. A client device (e.g.,set-top box (STB)) is assigned to a virtual group and can receivemultimedia content from server assets associated with the virtual group.A request to receive a multimedia program, which may include linearmultimedia content, is received from the assigned client device. Aplurality of multimedia frames of the multimedia program are providedfrom server assets associated with the same virtual group as the clientdevice. The assigned client device is also directed to a multicastreplicator for receiving further frames of the requested multimediaprogram. In accordance with disclosed embodiments, the client device maybe assigned to a different virtual group in response to a change in themonitored loading of the virtual groups.

In certain embodiments, the multimedia program includes linear content.Disclosed methods can also include incrementing a counter indicative ofa number of client devices served by grouped server assets (i.e., serverassets assigned to a virtual group). The method may include caching aplurality of multimedia frames from a multimedia program at a serverasset associated with a virtual group. Additionally, some disclosedmethods include sending to the client device an identifier (e.g., anetwork address) for the server asset. Sending the identifier to theclient device may be in response to a timer or booting up of the clientdevice. In some embodiments, sending the identifier to the client deviceis staggered with respect to sending identifiers to other clientdevices.

In a further aspect, a disclosed system for distributing linearmultimedia content to a plurality of users includes a plurality ofphysical server assets. The physical server assets distribute the linearmultimedia content to a plurality of client devices associated with theplurality of users. Individual physical server assets of the pluralityof physical server assets include a load capacity level. A plurality ofvirtual groups in disclosed systems is individually associated withphysical server assets of the plurality of physical server assets.Disclosed systems include a load balancer for assigning portions of theplurality of client devices to a virtual group. The load balancerassigns client devices to virtual groups based at least in part on loadcapacity levels for the physical server assets associated with therespective virtual groups. The load balancer in some disclosed systemscan reassign client devices based on a revised load capacity level forone or more of the plurality of physical server assets. Reassigningclient devices may be in response to a technical failure of one or moreof the physical server assets or may be performed to distribute (e.g.,balance) workloads between grouped server assets.

In yet another aspect, a disclosed computer readable media is embeddedwith computer readable instructions for balancing workload between aplurality of server assets that can distribute linear multimediacontent. In some embodiments, embedded instructions enable a dataprocessing system (e.g., a computer) to assign a plurality of users to avirtual group selected from a plurality of virtual groups. Server assetsare assigned to the virtual group to deliver multimedia content to theusers assigned to the virtual group. Selection of users to be assignedto the virtual group is based at least in part on a load balanceparameter associated with the virtual group or the server assetsassociated with the virtual group. Further instructions enable a dataprocessing system to send an indication (e.g., a network address) of theserver asset to client devices associated with the virtual group.

In certain embodiments, further instructions enable a data processingsystem to assign a portion of the plurality of server assets to thevirtual group to result in a portion of the plurality of server assetsdistributing the linear multimedia content to a portion of the clientdevices. The server asset may be, for example, a D-server that unicastsmultimedia content to users after a channel change. Further instructionsenable a data processing system to receive requests for linearmultimedia content from client devices and stream (e.g., unicast) aportion of the requested linear multimedia content to the client device.Further portions of the requested linear multimedia content may beprovided through a multicast stream from a multicast replicator, forexample. In some embodiments, further instructions enable a dataprocessing system to align the multicast stream with the unicast streamto provide a seamless transition, as perceived by the user while viewingthe multimedia content, from the server asset (e.g., a D-server) to themulticast replicator.

In some embodiments, client devices are provided access to or sent anidentifier of the server assets that are assigned to the client devices.If the assignment is changed, for example to achieve load-balancingamong server assets, the client device can be sent or provided access toan updated identifier. The updated identifier may be sent to the clientdevice in response to a timer (e.g., every 6 hours), at a predeterminedtime (e.g., 2 AM each day), or in response to booting up the clientdevice, as examples. In some embodiments, computer readable instructionsenable a data processing system to monitor the workload or an amount oftraffic associated with requests for linear multimedia content. Suchmonitoring can include, for example, measuring respective trafficamounts for each of a plurality of server assets. Reassigning clientdevices to different virtual groups, and consequently reassigning theclient devices to different server assets, may be based at least in parton comparing measured traffic amounts with the load balance parameterfor relevant server assets.

As background regarding multimedia content delivery, multimedia content(e.g., a television program) is often provided to users (e.g., to auser's client device) by service providers that provide access to thecontent over private networks. Such private networks may for example,include satellite networks, fiber optic networks, coaxial networks or acombination of such networks. The service provider may issue customerpremises equipment (CPE) such as an STB to users for accessingmultimedia content over the private networks. When a user wishes toobtain multimedia content, the STB or other CPE issued by the serviceprovider may authenticate with the service provider network and allowthe user access to specified or requested multimedia content. Someservice providers transmit multimedia content, including linearmultimedia content, to data processing systems (e.g., smart phones, carentertainment systems, etc.) that are not issued by the serviceprovider. Additionally, service providers may transmit such multimediacontent over public networks. The transmission of the multimedia contentmay include transmission of the multimedia content and related data overInternet protocol (IP) networks. Service providers may operate digitaltelevision networks that use IP protocols, for example.

In some digital television networks, at least two types of servers areused to provide multimedia content to client devices (e.g., STBs).Specifically, A-servers and D-servers are used. In some digitaltelevision networks the number of A-servers scale with channels andD-servers scale with subscribers. Moreover, there may be more D-serversthan A-servers. Use of two server types assists in reducing latenciesinvolved with channel changes. In some disclosed systems, server assetsused to provide requested multimedia content include D-servers. TheseD-servers may sit at the edge of a provider network and cache imageframes of multimedia programs. For example, D-servers may be in acentral office or digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM).Upon a channel change by a user, the D-server provide frames to theclient devices from a cache. In some embodiments which transmitnonlinear multimedia content, the frames are provided at an acceleratedfeed rate (e.g., 1.3× a normal rate) to assist the client device inpreventing underflow problems. In response to a timer, in response to atrigger condition, or to improve network efficiency, a client device mayrequest to join a simulcast from an A-server. While receiving andviewing linear multimedia content, client devices are preferablyprovided seamless transfers from D-server unicasts to A-serversimulcasts.

Multimedia content may include linear multimedia content and nonlinearmultimedia content. An example of nonlinear content is video on demand(VOD) content which may be stored by an MCDN and distributed to clientdevices as needed. For example, in response to a user request to receivea VOD movie, an MCDN can stream the VOD movie or provide the VOD moviefor download to the user for later viewing. If the VOD movie isnonlinear content, the user may fast-forward, rewind, or otherwiseaffect parameters during streaming the VOD movie to the user's CPEdevice.

An example of linear multimedia content is live television streamed ortransmitted from a television network (e.g., from a so-called majorbroadcast television network) to an acquisition tier of an MCDN, andthen streamed to a user's CPE device that is communicatively coupled tothe MCDN's delivery system (e.g., server assets). For example, afootball game may be broadcast live or with a short delay, and maytherefore include linear multimedia content. When a user of a clientdevice requests such linear multimedia content, the user's client device(e.g., STB) may access a so-called user store on the client device todetermine a network address of server assets from which to request thelinear multimedia content from the MCDN. The user store may includeidentifiers for the server assets (e.g., a hardware identificationnumber) that are used by the MCDN for authentication and may alsoinclude addresses (e.g., network addresses) used by the client devicefor accessing multimedia content. In some embodiments, the user storemay include a network address for a D-server that distributes requestedlinear multimedia content to the client device. The user store at theclient device can include information indicative of a virtual group towhich the client device is assigned. The user store may also includeinformation indicative of the server assets from which the client deviceshould seek requested multimedia content.

In managing delivery of requested multimedia content to client devices,embodied systems and methods assign users or the client devices of usersto virtual groups. The virtual groups are associated with server assets(e.g., one or more D-servers or server clusters). Users can be assignedand dynamically reassigned to different virtual groups, in accordancewith disclosed embodiments, to achieve balance workloads for the serverassets. Some disclosed systems can statically or semi-statically assignCPE to virtual groups and minimize the overhead associated withreassignments. During operation, additional server assets may beassociated with a virtual group without requiring an administrator toassign a user member of the virtual group to the additional serverassets. In the event of a technical failure or as required to achievebalanced workloads among server assets, users may be reassigned todifferent virtual groups, and therefore to different server assets.

In some embodied systems and methods, the client device is notified ofsuch reassignments by an update to the client device's user store. Theuser store for the client device may store network identifiers for aserver asset or assets that deliver multimedia content to the clientdevice. The user store can be stored locally (e.g., at the userpremises) in memory that is within or coupled to the client device. AnMCDN can push an indication of a reassignment to the user store toupdate the client device upon a predetermined trigger (e.g., anassignment to a different virtual group), after a client device boot up,according to a timer (e.g., every six hours), periodically (e.g.,daily), at predetermined times, or in response to a request by theclient device, as examples.

As an example, an administrator (e.g., a software application)determines that a user or group of users should be reassigned to adifferent virtual group, and therefore reassigned to different serverassets, to achieve load-balancing among the server assets or virtualgroups. Transferring the user or users to a new virtual group triggersan MCDN component to update the user stores of affected client devices.Alternatively, the client device can request any updates needed to itsuser store according to a predetermined schedule. In accordance withsome disclosed embodiments, the updated user store may include anidentifier (e.g., network address) for a different server asset.

Figures that relate to some disclosed systems are described below. Inthe figures and in the text of this disclosure, details are set forth byway of example to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practicethe claimed subject matter without undue experimentation. It should beapparent to a person of ordinary skill that disclosed embodiments areexamples and not exhaustive of all possible embodiments. Regardingreference numerals used to describe elements in the figures, ahyphenated form of a reference numeral refers to a specific instance ofan element and the un-hyphenated form of the reference numeral refers tothe element generically or collectively. Thus, for example, element “CPEdevice 104-1” refers to an instance of a CPE device, which may bereferred to collectively as CPE devices 104, and any one of which may bereferred to generically as a CPE device 104.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a particular illustrative embodiment ofsystem 100 that provides multimedia content (e.g., linear multimediacontent) to client devices (e.g., CPE devices 104). System 100 includeslinear content source 107 that communicates via server assets 122 andnetwork 106 with CPE 104 (e.g., an STB). As shown, linear content source107 includes linear multimedia content 117, which in exemplaryembodiments includes cached frames of linear multimedia content.

Delivery system 118 provides multimedia content to CPE devices 104. Torequest multimedia content (e.g., linear multimedia content 117), a userof CPE device 104-1 can operate remote control device 110 to navigate agraphical user interface (a GUI, not depicted) presented on displaydevice 112. In exemplary systems, the GUI contains indications (e.g.,titles, pictures, video clips, channel numbers, etc.) to assist the userof CPE device 104-1 to select a linear multimedia program or a channelthat provides linear multimedia content. If a user of CPE device 104-1and remote control device 110 requests a channel change, CPE device104-1 can access its user store (e.g., server asset 122-3) for a networkaddress of a server asset associated with the requested channel.

The term “server assets,” as frequently used herein, can include variedcombinations of hardware and software that provide services and content(e.g., linear multimedia content) to users. In some disclosed systems,individual physical server assets include server clusters. CPE devices104 may be assigned to one or more server assets 122, as a default, forreceiving multimedia content from delivery system 118. In accordancewith some disclosed embodiments and as shown in FIG. 1, server assets122 and CPE devices 104-1 can be associated with one or more virtualgroups (not depicted) that can be managed using a data processing system(e.g., a desktop computer) to affect and change the assignments of CPEdevices 104 to server assets 122.

As part of a delivery management system implemented for delivery system118, server asset 122-1 may be associated with a first virtual group(not depicted) and server assets 122-2 and 122-3 may be associated witha second virtual group. Likewise, CPE device 104-1 and CPE device 104-2may be associated with the first virtual group while CPE device 104-3may be associated with the second virtual group (not depicted). Theindividual workloads of server assets 122 can be monitored and used toreassign CPE devices 104. Some disclosed systems can statically orsemi-statically assign CPE to virtual groups and minimize the number ofreassignments. Certain CPE can be designated as statically orsemi-statically assigned to a virtual group, while other CPE can bedesignated as subject to reassignment. In the above example, if serverasset 122-1 is overloaded, either CPE device 104-1 or CPE device 104-2may be reassigned to the second virtual group, and consequently assignedto or associated with some combination of server assets 122-2 and 122-3.If server asset 122-2 is delivering content to one or more of CPEdevices 104 and has a technical failure, the CPE devices can bereassigned to server asset 122-3 without intervention by anadministrator, as a consequence of both server assets 122-2 and 122-3being associated with the same virtual group.

New users (i.e., additional CPE devices 104) may be added to aparticular virtual group selected to achieve balanced workloads amongserver assets 122 or selected to achieve balanced workloads ascalculated on a per virtual group basis. A load balance parameter may beassociated with each server asset 122 or with each virtual group.Additional server assets may be added to virtual groups without anadministrator, for example, having to manually associate the users ofthe virtual group with the added server assets. In this way, enhancedmanagement related to the delivery of multimedia content (e.g., linearmultimedia content) may be achieved.

As shown in FIG. 1, delivery system 118 includes transactional contentsource 108 that stores or otherwise accesses transactional content 116.Transactional content may include assets such as digital wallpaper,movie images, actor images, ring tones, audio clips from media content,downloadable soundtracks, VOD content, soundtrack clips, or anycombination thereof. In operation of the system shown in FIG. 1, aserver asset (e.g., server asset 122-3) can receive a request from CPEdevice 104-3 for transactional content (e.g., a VOD movie) over network106. In this case, CPE device 104-3 requests non-linear multimediacontent that is provided over network 106 from transactional contentsource 108. This nonlinear multimedia content may be provided by one ormore components (e.g., a server cluster) of server assets 122 or may beprovided by additional server assets, such as VOD servers.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of selected aspects of an MCDN that manageslinear multimedia content delivery. Data processing system 203 hasaccess to a memory device (not depicted) that stores executableinstructions, such as embodied by a software program. Such softwareprograms can operate to perform one or more of the disclosedembodiments. As shown, data processing system 203 includes virtualgroups 201-1 through 201-n. The “n” in the designation “201-n” indicatesthat a varied or variable number of virtual groups may be associatedwith data processing system 203. For example, there may be ten virtualgroups or there may be three virtual groups, and the number of virtualgroups may depend on the preferences of an administrator. Virtual groupsmay be added or subtracted as needed to achieve any specified linearmultimedia content delivery management scheme. Similarly, there may be avaried number of CPE devices 204, and CPE devices (i.e., client devices)may be added or subtracted to individual virtual groups 201 as needed tomanage delivery to the CPE devices 204 from server assets 222. Stillfurther, there may be varied numbers of server assets 222 and serverclusters 225, as represented by the designations 222-n and 225-n.

As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of physical server assets 222 distributemultimedia content (e.g., linear multimedia content) to CPE devices 204,which represent a plurality of client devices associated with aplurality of users (e.g., users of an MCDN). Individual physical serverassets 222 have load capacity levels which may be different from oneanother. For example, server asset 222-1 includes server cluster 223-1and server cluster 223-2. The load capacity level for server asset 222-1may be calculated by adding the load capacity level for server cluster223-1 and server cluster 223-2. Similarly, server asset 222-2 includesserver clusters 221. Accordingly, the load capacity level for serverasset 222-2 may be determined by adding the load capacity levels forserver cluster 221-1, server cluster 221-2, and server cluster 221-3.

As shown, virtual groups 201 are a plurality of virtual groups that areindividually associated with one or more physical server assets 222. Thenumber of virtual groups 201 is not necessarily correlated to ordetermined by the number of server assets 222. Load balancer 209 assignsCPE devices 204 to virtual groups 201 so that individual CPE devices aredistributed among the virtual groups. The assigning of the CPE devicesto the virtual groups is based at least in part on load capacity levelsand in some cases traffic levels for the server assets 222 that areassigned to the individual virtual groups. Load balancer 209 can monitortraffic from server assets 222 and requests from CPE devices 204 andreassign client devices to a different virtual group within virtualgroups 201. In some embodiments, such reassignments of client devicescan also be based on a revised load capacity level for one or more ofthe server assets 222. For example, in the event of a technical failureof server cluster 223-1, the load capacity for server asset 222-1 andthe corresponding virtual group 201 would change and load balancer 209may reassign CPE devices, and consequently reassign users, to adifferent virtual group 201. As a result, the reassigned CPE devices arealso reassigned to different server assets 222. Some disclosed systemscan statically or semi-statically assign CPE to virtual groups andminimize the number of reassignments. In addition, CPE can be designatedas statically or semi-statically assigned to a virtual group, whileother CPE can be designated as subject to reassignment.

Load balancer 209 may perform elements of an embodied method forproviding multimedia programs by grouping or associating server assets222 into virtual groups 201. For example, virtual group 201-1 mayinclude or be associated with server asset 222-1 and server asset 222-2.Virtual group 201-2 may include or be associated with server asset223-3. Virtual group 201-3 may include or be associated with otherserver assets (not depicted). In operation, load balancer 209 canmonitor the loading of the grouped server assets, and accordinglymonitor the loading of the virtual groups 201, and assign CPE device204-n to one of the virtual groups 201 based on a load parameter for thegrouped server assets (i.e., server asset 222-1 and server asset 222-2)for virtual group 201-1.

During operation, delivery system 205 can receive a request from CPEdevice 204-3 to receive a multimedia program that includes linearmultimedia content (e.g., multimedia frames from a live televisionbroadcast). Load balancer 209 may have previously determined that CPEdevice 204-3 is associated with virtual group 201-2 and therefore servedby the server asset 222-1, as an example. Virtual group 201-2 may alsobe associated with server asset 222-2. In response to the request,server asset 222-1 provides to CPE device 204-3 a plurality ofmultimedia frames of the requested multimedia program. Server asset222-1 may include a unicast server (e.g., within server cluster 223-2)that provides an initial portion of the requested multimedia program.Unicasting the initial portion of the requested multimedia program mayhelp facilitate rapid channel changes, in which a user is presented withmultimedia content (e.g., linear multimedia content) without excessivelatency before frames of the requested multimedia content appear on theuser's display device.

While receiving by unicast a portion of the requested multimediaprogram, delivery system 205 may direct CPE device 204-3 to a multicastreplicator (e.g., a multi-cast replicator within server cluster 225-1).From the multicast replicator, CPE device 204-3 is provided furtherportions of the requested multimedia program. Delivery system 205 or CPEdevice 204-3 can synchronize the unicast stream and multicast stream toprovide a seamless multimedia presentation as viewed and heard by theuser of CPE device 204-3.

In operation, load balancer 209 can monitor the individual loads ofvirtual groups 201 and consequently the loads of server assets 222associated with each virtual group. If load balancer 209 detects acritical change in the monitored loading of the virtual groups, loadbalancer 209 may assign CPE device 204-3 or other CPE devices (e.g., CPEdevice 204-n) to a different virtual group (e.g., virtual group 201-3).In some embodiments, load balancer 209 increments a counter indicativeof a number of CPE devices (i.e., the number of CPE devices 204) servedby each of the grouped server assets.

As shown in FIG. 2, linear multimedia content 207 includes multimediacontent that may be requested by users of CPE devices 204. When a clientdevice requests multimedia content included within linear multimediacontent 207, the server asset assigned to the virtual group associatedwith the client device may cache portions of the requested multimediacontent.

Upon load balancer 209 assigning a client device (e.g., CPE device204-1) to a virtual group (e.g., 201-1), the load balancer may initiatesending to the CPE device an identifier (e.g., an Internet protocolnetwork address) for the server asset or assets (e.g., server asset222-1, server cluster 223-1, or server cluster 223-2) associated withthe virtual group. This instructs the client device to respond to userrequests for certain multimedia content by requesting the content fromthe server asset.

In an exemplary embodiment, load balancer 209 or another networkcomponent (not depicted) may send to each CPE device 204 an indicationof its virtual group assignment and server asset assignment. Sending theassignment information may occur, for example, periodically (e.g.,weekly, hourly, or daily), at a certain time of day (e.g., 2 AM), inresponse to a timer (e.g., hourly), in response to the technical failure(e.g., a failure of server cluster 223-1), or in response to a bootup ofa client device. Sending the assignment information to the clientdevices may be staggered in order to help prevent overloading deliverysystem 205 or another network component while sending the information.For example, if delivery system 205 services 50,000 CPE devices 204,then delivery system 205 or another network component may push virtualgroup assignment information that includes server asset identifiers to10,000 CPE devices 204 at 1 AM, to another 10,000 CPE devices 204 at 2AM, and so on.

FIG. 3 illustrates selected elements of MCDN system 300 which deliversmultimedia content to one or more users. It is noted that differentembodiments of MCDN system 300 may include additional elements orsystems (not shown in FIG. 3 for clarity) as desired for additionalfunctionality, such as data processing systems for billing, networkadministration, delivery system management, content management, usersupport, operational support, or other applications.

As shown, system 300 can include client-facing tier 302, applicationtier 304, acquisition tier 306, and operations and management tier 308.Each tier 302, 304, 306, 308 is coupled to private network 310; topublic network 312, such as the Internet; or to both private network 310and public network 312. For example, client-facing tier 302 can becoupled to the private network 310. Further, application tier 304 can becoupled to private network 310 and to public network 312. Acquisitiontier 306 can also be coupled to private network 310 and to publicnetwork 312. Additionally, operations and management tier 308 can becoupled to public network 312.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the various tiers 302, 304, 306, 308communicate with each other via private network 310 and the publicnetwork 312. For instance, client-facing tier 302 can communicate withapplication tier 304 and acquisition tier 306 via private network 310.Application tier 304 can communicate with acquisition tier 306 viaprivate network 310. Further, application tier 304 can communicate withacquisition tier 306 and operations and management tier 308 via publicnetwork 312. Moreover, acquisition tier 306 can communicate withoperations and management tier 308 via public network 312. In aparticular embodiment, elements of application tier 304, including, butnot limited to, client gateway 350, can communicate directly withclient-facing tier 302.

Client-facing tier 302 can communicate with user equipment via accessnetwork 366. In an illustrative embodiment, CPE devices 314, 322 can becoupled to a local switch, router, or other device of access network366. If CPE devices 314, 322 are for example residential gateways,client-facing tier 302 may communicate with a first representative STBdevice via first CPE device 314 and with a second representative STBdevice via second CPE device 322 (STB devices not explicitly shown inFIG. 3). In a particular embodiment, first CPE device 314 can be locatedat a first user premise, and second CPE device 322 can be located at asecond user premise. In another particular embodiment, the firstrepresentative STB device (not depicted) and the second representativeSTB device (not depicted) can be located at a single user premise, bothcoupled to one of CPE devices 314, 322. CPE devices 314, 322 can includerouters, local area network devices, modems, such as digital subscriberline (DSL) modems, any other suitable devices for facilitatingcommunication between a STB device and access network 366, or anycombination thereof.

Elements shown in FIG. 3, in some embodiments, correspond to elementsshown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. For example, CPE device 322 and CPE device314 in FIG. 3 correspond to CPE devices 104 in FIG. 1 and CPE devices204 in FIG. 2. Delivery system 118 in FIG. 1 may be part of clientfacing tier 302 in FIG. 3. Network 106 (FIG. 1) and network 206 (FIG. 2)may correspond to or have parts in common with access network 366 inFIG. 3. Computer 368 can be a management console for managing backendservices and performing disclosed systems, methods, and data processingsystems. Network 206 (FIG. 2) or network 106 (FIG. 1) may correspond toor have parts in common with public network 312 (FIG. 3).

Referring to FIG. 3, in an exemplary embodiment, client-facing tier 302can be coupled to CPE devices 314, 322 via fiber optic cables. Inanother exemplary embodiment, CPE devices 314, 322 can include DSLmodems that are coupled to one or more network nodes via twisted pairs,and client-facing tier 302 can be coupled to the network nodes viafiber-optic cables. CPE devices 314, 322 may be configured to processdata received via the access network 366, such as multimedia contentprovided by elements of MCDN system 300.

CPE devices 314, 322 can include MCDN issued STB devices; video gamingdevices or consoles that are adapted to receive MCDN provided content;mobile phones that can operate away from a user premises; personalcomputers or other computing devices that are adapted to emulate STBdevice functionalities; any other device adapted to receive MCDN contentand transmit data to an MCDN system via an access network; or anycombination thereof.

In an exemplary, non-limiting embodiment, CPE devices 314, 322 canreceive data, video, or any combination thereof, from client-facing tier302 via access network 366 and render or display the data, video, or anycombination thereof, at a display device, to which it is coupled. In anillustrative embodiment, CPE devices 314, 322 can include tuners thatreceive and decode television programming signals or packet streams fortransmission to display devices, such as TV monitors. Further, CPEdevices 314, 322 may include a processor and a memory device (not shownin FIG. 3) that is accessible to the processor. In one embodiment, thememory device may store executable instructions, such as embodied by acomputer program.

In an illustrative embodiment, client-facing tier 302 may include ameans for communicating between client-facing tier 302 and accessnetwork 366 and between client-facing tier 302 and private network 310.In one example, the communication means in client-facing tier 302 may bea network switch or sub-system (not shown in FIG. 2) that is coupled toone or more data servers, such as D-servers 332, that store, format,encode, replicate, or otherwise manipulate or prepare video content forcommunication from client-facing tier 302 to CPE devices 314, 322. Thecommunication means in client-facing tier 302 can also be coupled toterminal server 334 that provides terminal devices with a point ofconnection to MCDN system 300 via client-facing tier 302. In aparticular embodiment, communication means in client-facing tier 302 canbe coupled to VOD server 336 that stores or provides VOD contentimported by MCDN system 300. Further, the communication means inclient-facing tier 302 may be coupled to one or more video servers 380that receive video content and transmit the content to CPE devices 314,322 via access network 366. The communication means in client-facingtier 302 can also be coupled to electronic store server 382 that storesand provides data related to purchasable assets to user devices, such asCPE devices 314, 322.

D-servers 332 or other server-side devices may buffer or cache portionsof requested multimedia programs to help reduce latencies associatedwith channel changes. For example, after a request by CPE device 322 toreceive linear multimedia content, D-servers 332 provide cachedmultimedia frames from the multimedia program to CPE device 322. In anexemplary embodiment, D-servers 332 may provide six to fifteen seconds,for example, of video before a seamless transfer to a server-sidesimulcast replicator or multicast replicator. For example, a seamlesstransfer may occur between the D-servers 332 and video servers 380 whichprovide access to multimedia content from live acquisition server 354.In some embodiments, the D-servers 332 include an edge device and videoservers 380 provide further portions of the multimedia program to one ormore client devices including CPE device 322.

In an illustrative embodiment, client-facing tier 302 can communicatewith a large number of clients, such as representative CPE devices 314,322, over a wide geographic area, such as a metropolitan area, a viewingarea, a statewide area, a regional area, a nationwide area or any othersuitable geographic area, market area, or subscriber or user group thatcan be supported by networking client-facing tier 302 to numerous CPEdevices. In a particular embodiment, the communication means inclient-facing tier 302, or any portion thereof, can include a multicastrouter or switch that communicates with multiple CPE devices via amulticast-enabled network.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, application tier 304 can communicate with bothprivate network 310 and public network 312. Application tier 304 caninclude a means for communicating that can be coupled to applicationserver 342 and to operations systems and support/billing systems andsupport (OSS/BSS) gateway 344. In a particular embodiment, applicationserver 342 can provide applications to CPE devices 314, 322 via accessnetwork 366, which enable CPE devices 314, 322 to provide functions,such as interactive program guides, video gaming, display, messaging,processing of VOD material and other MCDN multimedia content, etc. In anillustrative embodiment, application server 342 can provide locationinformation to CPE devices 314, 322. In a particular embodiment, OSS/BSSgateway 344 includes OSS data, as well as BSS data. In one embodiment,OSS/BSS gateway 344 can provide or restrict access to OSS/BSS server 364that stores operations and billing systems data.

The means for communicating in application tier 304 can be coupled todomain controller 346 that provides Internet access, for example, tousers via the public network 312. For example, domain controller 346 canprovide remote Internet access to IP television (IPTV) accountinformation, e-mail, personalized Internet services, or other onlineservices via public network 312. In addition, the means forcommunicating in application tier 304 can be coupled to subscriber andsystem store 348 that includes account information, such as accountinformation that is associated with users who access MCDN system 300 viaprivate network 310 or public network 312. In an illustrativeembodiment, subscriber and system store 348 can store subscriber or userdata and create subscriber or user profiles that are associated with IPaddresses, stock-keeping unit (SKU) numbers, other identifiers, or anycombination thereof, of corresponding CPE devices 314, 322. In anotherillustrative embodiment, the subscriber and system store can store dataassociated with capabilities of STB devices associated with particularusers.

In a particular embodiment, application tier 304 can include clientgateway 350 that communicates data directly to client-facing tier 302.In this embodiment, client gateway 350 can be coupled directly toclient-facing tier 302. Client gateway 350 can provide user access toprivate network 310 and other tiers coupled thereto. In an illustrativeembodiment, CPE devices 314, 322 can access MCDN system 300 via accessnetwork 366, using information received from client gateway 350. Userdevices can access client gateway 350 via access network 366, and clientgateway 350 can allow such devices to access private network 310 oncethe devices are authenticated or verified. Similarly, client gateway 350can prevent unauthorized devices, such as hacker computers or stolen CPEfrom accessing private network 310, by denying access to these devicesbeyond access network 366.

For example, when a first representative CPE device 314 accessesclient-facing tier 302 via access network 366, client gateway 350 canverify subscriber information by communicating with subscriber andsystem store 348 via private network 310. Further, client gateway 350can verify billing information and status by communicating with OSS/BSSgateway 344 via private network 310. In one embodiment, OSS/BSS gateway344 can transmit a query via public network 312 to OSS/BSS server 364.After client gateway 350 confirms subscriber and/or billing information,client gateway 350 can allow CPE device 314 to access MCDN content andVOD content at client-facing tier 302. If client gateway 350 cannotverify subscriber information for CPE device 314, e.g., because it isconnected to an unauthorized twisted pair, client gateway 350 can blocktransmissions to and from CPE device 314 beyond access network 366.

In FIG. 3, acquisition tier 306 may include a means for communication(not shown in FIG. 3) with private network 310, that can alsocommunicate with operations and management tier 308 via public network312. In a particular embodiment, the communication means in acquisitiontier 306 can be coupled to live acquisition server 354 that receives oracquires television content, movie content, advertisement content, othervideo content, or any combination thereof, from broadcast service 356,such as a satellite acquisition system or satellite head-end office. Ina particular embodiment, live acquisition server 354 can transmitcontent to the communication means in acquisition tier 306, which cantransmit the content to client-facing tier 302 via private network 310.

In an illustrative embodiment, multimedia content can be transmitted toD-servers 332, where it can be encoded, formatted, stored, replicated,or otherwise manipulated and prepared for communication from videoserver(s) 380 to CPE devices 314, 322. Client-facing tier 302 canreceive content from video server(s) 380 and communicate the content toCPE 314, 322 via access network 366. STB devices can receive the contentvia CPE 314, 322, and can transmit multimedia content to televisionmonitors (not shown in FIG. 3). In an illustrative embodiment, video oraudio portions of the multimedia content can be streamed to CPE devices314, 322.

Further, acquisition tier 306 can be coupled to a VOD importer server358 that receives and stores television or movie content received atacquisition tier 306 and communicates the stored content to VOD server336 at client-facing tier 302 via private network 310. Additionally, atacquisition tier 306, VOD importer server 358 can receive content fromone or more VOD sources outside MCDN system 300, such as movie studiosand programmers of non-live content. VOD importer server 358 cantransmit the VOD content to acquisition tier 306, which can communicatethe material to client-facing tier 302 via private network 310. The VODcontent can be stored at one or more servers, such as VOD server 336.

When users issue requests for VOD content via CPE devices 314, 322, therequests can be transmitted over access network 366 to VOD server 336,via client-facing tier 302. Upon receiving such requests, VOD server 336can retrieve the requested VOD content and transmit the content to CPEdevices 314, 322 across access network 366. In an illustrativeembodiment, video or audio portions of VOD content can be streamed toCPE devices 314, 322.

In FIG. 3, operations and management tier 308 can include a means forcommunication (not shown in FIG. 2) that conducts communication betweenoperations and management tier 308 and public network 312. Thecommunication means in operations and management tier 308 may be coupledto TV2 server 362. Additionally, communication means in operations andmanagement tier 308 can be coupled to OSS/BSS server 364 and to simplenetwork management protocol (SNMP) monitor 386 that monitors networkdevices within or coupled to MCDN system 300. In a particularembodiment, the communication means in operations and management tier308 can communicate with acquisition tier 306 via public network 312.

In an illustrative embodiment, live acquisition server 354 can transmitcontent to acquisition tier 306, which can transmit the content tooperations and management tier 308 via public network 312. In thisembodiment, operations and management tier 308 can transmit the contentto TV2 server 362 for display to users accessing the user interface atTV2 server 362. For example, a user can access TV2 server 362 usingpersonal computer coupled to public network 312.

In a particular illustrative embodiment, client-facing tier 302 canprovide media content, such as video content, to CPE device 314. Themedia content can include a selectable trigger, which may be provided byCPE device 314 to a display device as a popup within a video display.Client-facing tier 302 may receive data related to selection of theselectable trigger. In response to receiving the data, electronic storeserver 382 may provide a GUI including an electronic storefront to CPEdevice 314 for display at a display device, such as a TV monitor (notshown in FIG. 3). The electronic storefront can include data related tomultiple purchasable assets as well as multiple options for purchasingone or more of the assets.

FIG. 4 illustrates elements of an embodied method 400 for load balancingserver assets used to provide linear multimedia content to users. Asshown, a load-balancing parameter is received (block 401) for a serverasset. The load-balancing parameter may specify an amount of requeststhat a server asset may process or a number of users or client devicesthat may be assigned to a server asset. The load-balancing parameter mayspecify that server assets divide an overall load equally orsubstantially equally. Server assets are associated (block 403) withvirtual groups. Users are associated (block 405) with virtual groupsbased on the load-balancing parameter. Server assets distribute (block407) linear multimedia content to users (i.e., to users' CPE devices).New users are assigned (block 409) to virtual groups based onload-balancing parameters. In accordance with some disclosedembodiments, user requests made to each server asset may be monitored(block 411). Monitoring a user request may include incrementing acounter for each user assigned to the server asset or may includemeasuring a quantity of content provided by or requested of each serverasset. User assignments to virtual groups may be modified (block 413)based on load-balancing parameters and monitored loads.

FIG. 5 illustrates elements of an embodied method 500 for load balancingserver assets. Client devices are provided (block 501) with anidentifier for server assets assigned to the client devices. Forexample, the client device may be provided with an address to a D-serverfrom which the client device receives linear multimedia content after achannel change. A request is received (block 503) from the client devicefor a multimedia program. An assigned server asset for the client deviceunicasts (block 505) to the client device multimedia frames of therequested multimedia program. The client device is directed (block 507)to a multicast replicator for receiving further portions of themultimedia program. The load of the server asset(s) is monitored (block509). If the load on server assets is imbalanced (block 511) orotherwise requires modification, users are reassigned (block 513) todifferent virtual groups based on load-balancing parameters andmonitored loads. In some disclosed methods, a substantially balancedload for each server asset may be specified and, accordingly, asoftware-based load balancer may reassign client devices for users todifferent server assets to achieve the specified balanced load.

To the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the presentdisclosure is to be determined by the broadest permissibleinterpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shallnot be restricted or limited to the specific embodiments described inthe foregoing detailed description.

1. A method of providing multimedia programs, the method comprising:grouping server assets into virtual groups; monitoring loading of thegrouped server assets; assigning a client device to one of the virtualgroups based on a load parameter for the grouped server assets for thevirtual group; receiving a request from the client device to receive amultimedia program; providing from a server asset to the client device aplurality of multimedia frames of the multimedia program, wherein theserver asset is from the grouped server assets for the virtual group towhich the client device is assigned; directing the client device to amulticast replicator for receiving further frames of the multimediaprogram; providing to the client device from the multicast replicatorfurther portions of the multimedia program; and responsive to a changein the monitored loading of the virtual groups, assigning the clientdevice to a different virtual group.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinthe multimedia program includes linear content.
 3. The method of claim1, further comprising: incrementing a counter indicative of a number ofclient devices served by grouped server assets.
 4. The method of claim1, further comprising: altering which server assets are assigned to avirtual group without altering which client device is assigned to thevirtual group.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: caching theplurality of multimedia frames at the server asset.
 6. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: sending to the client device an identifierfor the server asset.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein said sending isin response to a timer.
 8. The method of claim 6, wherein said sendingis in response to a bootup of the client device.
 9. The method of claim6, wherein said sending includes staggering the sending with respect tothe sending of identifiers to a plurality of further client devices. 10.A system for distributing linear multimedia content to a plurality ofusers, the system comprising: a plurality of physical server assets fordistributing the linear multimedia content to a plurality of clientdevices associated with the plurality of users, wherein individualphysical server assets of the plurality of physical server assetsinclude a load capacity level; a plurality of virtual groupsindividually associated with respective physical server assets of theplurality of physical server assets; and a load balancer for assigningportions of the plurality of client devices to a virtual group of theplurality of virtual groups, wherein said assigning is based at least inpart on load capacity levels for the physical server assets associatedwith the respective virtual groups.
 11. The system of claim 10, whereinthe individual physical server assets include server clusters.
 12. Thesystem of claim 10, wherein the load balancer is further for reassigningclient devices based on a revised load capacity level for one or more ofthe plurality of physical server assets.
 13. The system of claim 10,wherein the load balancer is further for reassigning client devices inresponse to a technical failure of one or more of the physical serverassets.
 14. A computer readable media embedded with computer readableinstructions for balancing workload between a plurality of server assetsfor distributing linear multimedia content, the instructions includinginstructions for: assigning a plurality of users to a virtual groupselected from a plurality of virtual groups, wherein said assigning isbased at least in part on a load balance parameter associated with thevirtual group; and sending to a plurality of client devices associatedwith the assigned plurality of users an indication of a server assetassociated with the virtual group.
 15. The computer readable media ofclaim 14, further comprising instructions for: assigning a portion ofthe plurality of server assets to the virtual group to result in theportion of the plurality of server assets distributing the linearmultimedia content to a portion of the plurality of client devices. 16.The computer readable media of claim 14, wherein the server asset is aD-server.
 17. The computer readable media of claim 14, furthercomprising instructions for: receiving from a client device associatedwith one of the plurality of users a request for linear multimediacontent; and providing a unicast stream of a portion of the requestedlinear multimedia content from the server asset to the client device.18. The computer readable media of claim 17, further comprisinginstructions for: providing a multicast stream of a further portion ofthe linear multimedia content.
 19. The computer readable media of claim18, further comprising instructions for: aligning the multicast streamand the unicast stream.
 20. The computer readable media of claim 14,wherein said sending includes individually sending indications of theserver asset in response to booting of individual client devices. 21.The computer readable media of claim 14, wherein said sending is inresponse to a timer.
 22. The computer readable media of claim 14,further comprising instructions for: monitoring an amount of requestsfor linear multimedia content for the plurality of server assets. 23.The computer readable media of claim 22 wherein said monitoring includesmeasuring respective traffic amounts for the plurality of server assets.24. The computer readable media of claim 22, further comprisinginstructions for: updating the indication of the server asset based atleast in part on comparing the load balance parameter and the measuredtraffic amounts.